Chapter 13 - The Price of a Child
The notebook changed everything.
For months, investigators had been trying to understand why Westbridge used such complicated financial arrangements.
Rebecca had already discovered part of the answer.
The children were the pretext.
The money was the reward.
Families were pushed toward expensive placements, often after being frightened by exaggerated or fabricated claims about a child's behavior.
Some parents paid large fees.
Others were pressured into borrowing against property.
In several cases, financial authority was transferred to supposedly independent administrators.
Those administrators had undisclosed connections to Westbridge.
Rebecca's notebook identified transfers that suggested the same pattern across multiple families.
And it named people who had helped make the paperwork appear legitimate.
Adrian Vale.
Helen Voss.
An accountant named Martin Keene.
And a former medical consultant named Dr. Raymond Kessler.
The same physician whose name appeared on Daniel's disputed competency affidavit.
Peter read the entries with a forensic accountant.
"Rebecca wasn't just documenting child mistreatment," he said.
Daniel nodded.
"She was following the money."
"And that may explain why Adrian became so desperate to recover her records."
Daniel stared at the notebook.
"How many families?"
"At least eleven appear in these notes. That doesn't establish that every transaction was fraudulent, but it gives investigators specific cases to examine."
Daniel ran a hand over his face.
"Eleven."
Peter continued.
"And Rebecca wrote that several more families refused to speak because they were afraid of losing contact with their children."
Daniel closed his eyes.
Lily hadn't been the first.
Owen hadn't been the first either.
The investigation widened rapidly after the notebook was authenticated and cross-checked against other evidence.
Search warrants and subpoenas produced additional records.
Former employees came forward.
Parents who had been told their children were unstable began asking for independent reviews.
The authorities also examined whether public funds, private insurance payments, and charitable donations had been misused.
Daniel watched the news reports from Rachel's living room.
He didn't enjoy them.
Every photograph of Westbridge reminded him of Lily kneeling on the kitchen floor.
Every mention of a financial transfer reminded him that he'd signed documents without reading them.
But one development gave him hope.
Hannah's attorney obtained an emergency review of Owen's guardianship and placement.
An independent evaluation was arranged.
His records would no longer be assessed solely through reports from the organization trying to keep him there.
Three days later, Naomi returned to school.
The track team had made a banner.
WELCOME BACK, COACH CARTER.
Twenty children gathered by the gym doors.
When Naomi walked in, they cheered.
She smiled.
Then covered her mouth.
Principal Harper stood beside the entrance.
"You have a practice to run."
Naomi laughed through tears.
"Looks like I do."
A little boy rushed toward her.
"We saved your whistle!"
He held it out.
Naomi accepted it carefully.
"Thank you."
For a moment, she thought about Lily.
The girl who had collapsed on the track.
The girl who had whispered that bad children ate off the floor.
The girl who had been brave enough to speak.
Naomi looked at her team.
"All right, everybody. Let's get moving."
Marissa was arrested the following afternoon.
She was staying in a rented apartment under a name investigators had linked to her.
The charges initially involved alleged fraud, identity-related offenses, and conduct connected to the attempted unauthorized removal of Lily.
Further charges remained under review.
Daniel learned about the arrest from Reed.
He sat silently while the detective explained.
"Is she in custody?"
"Yes."
"Can she contact Lily?"
"Any contact will be governed by the court orders and conditions imposed."
Daniel looked toward the kitchen.
Lily was helping Rachel wash strawberries.
"Does Lily have to testify?"
"That's a decision for the appropriate legal processes. We will seek to minimize unnecessary stress and use procedures suited to her age."
Daniel nodded.
He didn't want his daughter anywhere near Marissa.
Not ever again, if the law allowed him to protect her from that.
At the police station, Marissa asked for Adrian Vale.
Her appointed attorney informed her that Adrian had been taken into custody after investigators located him in another state.
Marissa stared at him.
"He's been arrested?"
"Yes."
"For what?"
"I can discuss the allegations relevant to your case, but I don't represent Mr. Vale."
Marissa's hands tightened.
"He's going to blame me."
Her attorney didn't answer.
She leaned forward.
"He'll say everything was my idea."
"Mrs. Bennett, we need to review the evidence before you make any statements."
Marissa laughed bitterly.
"Evidence?"
She looked toward the closed door.
"That little girl made all of this happen."
Her attorney's expression hardened.
"The child disclosed mistreatment. The investigators are examining your conduct and the documents."
Marissa crossed her arms.
"Daniel should have listened to me."
The attorney closed his notebook.
"We're going to take a break."
That evening, Daniel told Lily that Marissa had been arrested.
He chose his words carefully.
They sat on Rachel's couch with a child therapist, Dr. Miriam Cole, who had been helping Lily process what happened.
"Marissa is somewhere she can't come here and take you," Daniel said.
Lily looked at him.
"Because she was bad?"
Daniel glanced at Dr. Cole.
The therapist nodded encouragingly.
"Because grown-ups have rules they have to follow," Daniel answered. "And there are serious concerns that Marissa broke some of those rules."
Lily considered that.
"Will she be angry?"
"She may be."
"At me?"
Daniel moved closer.
"Whatever she feels is not your responsibility."
Lily looked toward Dr. Cole.
"Even if I told?"
"Especially because you told," Dr. Cole replied.
Lily thought for a moment.
Then she asked, "Can I eat dinner now?"
Daniel stared at her.
"Of course."
"At the table?"
His eyes filled.
"Always at the table if that's where you'd like to eat."
Lily nodded.
"Okay."
Then she climbed off the couch and went to wash her hands.
Daniel remained sitting, looking at the empty place beside him.
Dr. Cole spoke quietly.
"She's going to ask that question in different ways for a while."
Daniel wiped his eyes.
"I know."
"Your consistent answers will help."
He nodded.
"Then I'll keep answering."
The next morning, Peter called with a discovery that complicated the investigation.
One of Rebecca's notebook entries contained a payment to a company called Silver Birch Consulting.
The company was connected to a person whose name Daniel recognized.
Not Marissa.
Not Adrian.
Not Helen.
Susan Park.
His company's controller.
Daniel stared at the record.
"That's impossible."
Peter didn't speak.
Daniel shook his head.
"Susan helped us stop the transfer."
"I know."
"She's worked for me for twelve years."
"That doesn't necessarily mean she was involved. We need to verify what this payment represents."
Daniel looked at the amount.
$85,000.
The transaction was dated two months before Rebecca's death.
He felt his chest tighten.
"Susan worked for me when Rebecca was alive."
Peter nodded.
Daniel stood slowly.
"If she knew what Rebecca was investigating..."
He didn't finish.
Because Susan had access to his email.
His contracts.
May you like
His banking information.
And everything Marissa would later need to forge the settlement instructions.
